Feds Leave Door Open for Mine Clean-up Funding

Feds Leave Door Open for Mine Clean-up Funding

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 at 14:10

The new federal Natural Resources minister is indicating there is still a chance that the federal government will eventually help clean up abandoned uranium mines in the North.

John Efford met with Saskatchewan Northern Affairs minister Buckley Belanger about the issue this morning in Regina.

Last year, the federal government announced it was pulling out of talks with the provincial government to negotiate a cost-shared decommissioning project.

But this morning, Efford told reporters that stance was taken by his predecessor under the old Jean Chretien regime, and that things may be different under Paul Martin’s watch.

He’s committed to visiting some of the abandoned mine sites next month.

Belanger says the province will continue to push for federal funding until it gets its wish or receives a definitive “no” from Ottawa.

The estimated cost to clean up the abandoned mines is 30 million dollars.